I'm leasing a car: Here's how much it costs

Car leases tends to get a bad rap, but the truth is leasing a car isn’t any different than renting an apartment. Depending on your situation, it makes financial (and emotional) sense.

When my wife and I made the decision to lease a new car last year, we started crunching numbers. Once I started graduate school that Fall, I would be driving over an hour each day to attend my internship in the morning and classes at night. It was more than my 2001 Honda Accord could handle and at $10 per ride, taking Lyft everywhere would cost nearly $1,000 per month.

Leasing a car was the perfect solution. It ensured we got an incredibly safe car — blind spot sensors, a back-up camera and even Apple CarPlay — without certain hassles of owning. With an international move happening within the next few years, we knew we didn’t want to deal with selling a car. Plus, after driving a 2001 Honda, I no longer wanted the inconvenience of an old car or the responsibility of paying for repairs. (Showing up to meetings covered with sweat due to no air conditioning and having a tire explode aren’t the most enjoyable experiences.)

After looking at the math, the decision seemed fairly straightforward. So we signed a 36-month lease for a 2018 Hyundai Elantra. Here’s exactly how much it cost.

Down payment: $3,000

Car dealerships advertise low monthly payments, but the payments are only low if your down payment is big. When you’re leasing a car, the equation is simple: The higher the deposit, the lower the monthly payment.

We decided to put down a higher monthly deposit to secure a monthly payment of $100. We paid $2,000 in cash from our savings and an additional $1,000 from the sale of our old Honda on Craigslist.

Tip: Dealerships are often trying to get rid of certain models or colors. For example, when we were shopping, a local dealership was running a special on an upgraded model. It was actually cheaper to get a fancier car that month because they had ordered too many in one color. Find out which dealerships are running the best special. Next, chat with a representative online and get the discount in writing before you visit. You’ll save time, (hopefully) some money and a few headaches.

Car tax: $14.99 per month

Once we determined the basics of our lease, we learned about “taxes and fees.” Even though our car payment is $100 per month, we are also responsible for taxes and fees. In other words, what we actually pay each month is more than $100. For us, our taxes and fees rang in at $14.99 per month.

Tip: Your monthly payment isn’t actually the monthly payment you determine with the car sales representative. What you actually pay is your monthly payment plus taxes and fees. Always plan to pay an additional 15% every month on tax. For more on how car leases work, go here.

Registration & other DMV fees: $0 (sort of)

One of the perks of leasing (or buying) a brand new is car is that all additional fees, like registration, are included in the price. Even though we did technically pay the DMV fees, it was included in our down payment, and we weren’t required to pay anything extra. In fact, we paid our deposit, signed the paperwork and drove the car home that night. Our license plate and registration came in the mail a few weeks later.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to shop around for car insurance quotes. In fact, leasing (or buying) a new car is the perfect time to change your insurance provider and get a better deal.

Total: Almost 12K over 3 years

Over the course of our 36-month lease, we will pay a total of $7,139.64 to the dealership for the pleasure of using their car. With insurance, DMV fees and regular oil chances, we’ll pay a grand total of nearly $12,000. For us, it’s totally worth it.

For other people, buying a car is the way to go. It's usually cheaper in the long-term and the car is yours, so there's no mileage penalties or restrictions to deal with. But buying usually requires a higher down payment and maintenance costs down the line. You can learn more about the pros and cons of buying and leasing here.

Image: FatCamera

Taylor Milam is a personal finance writer who recently paid of $14,000 of student loans. She helps millennials with money and spending at The Freedom From Money. When she's not writing, Taylor can be found at the beach or playing with her cat Cheddar.

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